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Essay / Comparison of Bhagavad Gita and Dante Aligheiri's Inferno
Table of ContentsIntroductionAnalysis and ComparisonConclusion IntroductionThe 'Bhagavad Gita' and 'Dante's Inferno' are among the most popular scriptures considered to provide a detailed account of the Hindu way of life above. The Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu scripture of 700 verses. Also known as Gita, the scripture is considered to be the 6th book of the Mahabharata. On the other hand, Inferno is a divine poem based on Hinduism explaining Dante's journey through hell under the guidance of a virgin Roman poet. The concepts of Dharma, Karma and Samsara found in the Bhagavad Gita are the most questionable. Concepts attempt to explain; most convincingly about predestination and life after death. But most interesting is how these concepts relate to or differ from Dante's concept of spiritual hierarchy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAnalysis and ComparisonAs stated earlier, the concepts of Dharma, Samsara and Karma were very important in understanding how Hindus were supposed to live and how their fate was predetermined. For example, Dharma refers to the “duty” of life, meaning that everyone has a duty to fulfill before they die. Yet, Gita explains that people are reborn in accordance with the life they have lived (Karma). In other words, rebirth is an accumulation of actions. Finally, Samsara refers to how the material world relates to the cycle of death and rebirth. The concept of Dharma is captured at the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita in which Arjuna has to kill Duryodhana despite being his cousin. Arjuna and Dhritarashtra (king) are like enemies in the sense that Arjuna and his people wanted to forcibly claim the land inhabited by Dhritarashtra and his people. Both sides were littered with grandmothers, fathers, uncles, brothers and family friends etc. on. This means that family members and friends had to fight and kill each other on the battlefield. However, Arjuna is not ready to kill his family members. But then again, Krishna reminds him that he must fulfill his obligation by destroying his enemy Dhritarashtra. At this point we see that only Arjuna had to be responsible for the death of King Dhritarashtra. It was his life's "duty." Here we can as well say that Arjuna was predestined to kill Dhritarashtra. It was a destiny he couldn't escape. The concept of Karma can be captured in Krishna's advice to Arjuna. According to Krishna, it would be a great dishonor to disrespect Dharma. According to Krishna, killing is not a sin in this case. Indeed, both the person killed and the murderer will have a better life after death. “The body is just mere flesh, and we should not limit what we should do (Dharma) just because of the superficial body.” The death of one of the party members would restore the power of good. He also states that in heaven it will be the enjoyment of earth without pain. This simply means that people will be reborn according to the life they have lived (Karma). Concerning the concept of Samsara, Krishna states that the material world is linked to the cycle of life and death. This is explained by the distinction between soul and superficial body. According to Krishna, the body after death is a reminder of the material world in which they lived. However, unlike the earthly body, the newly born body consists mainly of soul and simple senses. The limit explains why people should not live to satisfy their selfish gains and ego. As found in the Bhagavad Gita, humans havebeen predestined to his destiny which determines the way he lives and will be reborn as explained by the three concepts. Likewise, throughout Inferno, a series of facts indicate that there is life after death. What differs significantly between the two scenarios is that Dante offers a conception of heaven and hell. The aspect of rebirth is not captured. Yet the script presentsDante has bound the world of the evil spirit for his transgression into the world. Unlike the Gita, Hell does not indicate that human life was predestined. However, after visiting Hell and returning to Earth several times, Dante notes that how you live on Earth determines your afterlife. Although there is still Heaven, Dante proposes one of the more questionable concepts that going to Heaven or Hell is not simply a matter of good and evil. Simply put, Dante's poem is full of uncertainties about life after death. This can also be captured in a story in which Dante and Farinata both suffer in hell. Dante asks Farinata why his soul is not able to see the future. She replied that in hell, one cannot see distant things as an indication of uncertainties about life. One of the main distinct issues captured in Hell is the spiritual hierarchy. Notably, after death, people will be rewarded or punished based on the sins committed on earth. Yet the spiritual position occupied on earth will significantly determine the extent of the punishment. For example, Dante tells us that Farinata supported the Holy Roman Emperor who, in turn, supported the Pope. It's symbolic of what's happening in the real world. The point here is not whether the pope can sin; on the contrary, it is an indication that in hell there is a spiritual hierarchy. However, there are still people high in the hierarchy who live contemporary lives like Dante's. Nevertheless, the concept behind the spiritual superiority of hell is questionable. One of the major questions on this subject is why the spiritual hierarchy should be exercised directly in hell. Another major difference between the two scriptures can also be drawn from the fact that in Bhagavad Gita the physical body (flesh) dies to leave hell. behind the soul and the senses. In Dante's Inferno, I don't talk about it. Instead, the poem describes the physical suffering of the human body after death. Yet another major difference is Karma which gives birth to the new soul after death in Bhagavad Gita. Because there is no history of hell, it is believed that the person who died with bad Karma will return to earth once their Karma is exhausted. There is therefore no suffering as is the case in Dante's Inferno. Very different, Dante's Inferno describes endless suffering. Dante's account is a vivid description of what hell is like. Therefore, unlike Gita, Hell presents life after death in a frightening manner. This whole description is covered in what can be called “12-step programs”. By going through the 12 steps, we are able to get an almost complete picture of hell. Throughout these stages, Dante struggled helplessly to escape Hell. In Hell, Dante imagines the life he lived in middle age; an indication that there is a close relationship between life in the fresh state and life after death. Therefore, while the Bhagavad Gita may use Dharma to warn about the fulfillment of one's duties, Dante's Inferno emphasizes the need to be freed from all kinds of sins. It might therefore be inappropriate, as per this scripture, for Arjuna to kill Dhritarashtra (king)..